Despite all promises and recent signs of hope, we “Americans overseas” (and those deemed to be such) have been ignored once again by the government that claims ultimate power over our lives. Now, and for the foreseeable future, we remain the only human beings on Earth who have an income tax imposed on them simply for who they are. We have been left out of the current tax reform plans developed by both legislative houses in spite of the huge efforts mounted collectively by those suffering under US tax oppression around the world.
While I am grateful to those individuals in the US government who have recognized our plight and plan to continue to search for ways to introduce the world standard of Residence/Territorial-Based Taxation to the United States, I fear that the efforts are too little, too late.
Except for the various lawsuits still pending (which could take years to resolve), domestic recourse has come to a crashing end. Our one remaining avenue of attack is in the international arena.
A Human Rights Complaint was filed with the United Nations in August 2014 and is presently awaiting assessment for acceptance into the complaints process. (Those not familiar with the history of our Complaint can find information on the link at the top of the sidebar.)
We have waited long enough. It is beyond time for our plight to be recognized by the international community as the forerunner of an entirely new form of governmental abuse perpetrated by a combination of outdated law and 21st century cyber-surveillance. Human rights in the computer age extend well beyond the food, clothing, and shelter issues which the UN has traditionally championed.
In preparation for “reminding” the world of our United Nations Human Rights Complaint against the United States for its triple policies of CBT, FATCA and FBAR (as applied to “overseas” residents):
- we would like to invite those who didn’t have an opportunity to sign the Complaint to do so. Those interested may make a request to read the Complaint by emailing calgaryfouroneone@gmail.com. You will be sent a link and a password. After reading the document, if you would like to have your name appended to it please let Calgary know. Your name will remain utterly confidential and will never be revealed to anyone in the United States government. ANYONE affected by US extra-territorial tax policies — citizens, renunciants, spouses, business associates — ANYONE who has or has had a stake in this issue — is welcome to sign!
- we need help from people in positions of power and/or influence who are sympathetic to our cause. Is anyone in contact with Sophie int’Veld, for example? There are several individuals in France such as Keith Redmond who have done a stunning job on behalf of this community. Do any of these folk know anyone who can lobby for us at the UN and get this process sped up? We desperately need this sort of help.
- we need ideas from all of you as to how to proceed and get our efforts publicized accurately while under the UN’s publication ban. Silence is no longer an option. If you think the UN is a waste of time, we need to hear that too!
- and a special request to those on Twitter and Facebook: please post links to this thread on any and all sites concerned with this issue. We need to reach everybody!
Every year on the anniversary of the Complaint’s submission (August 7) we have sent a “Support Document” which details testimonials of harms suffered due to US tax policy and reported online over the previous 12 months. In 2017, with tax reform a very real possibility, we decided to wait until now to send this year’s document. It will be sent to the UN next week [postponed to mid-December to allow for a new round of efforts in Washington to prove successful or not]. It would be terrific to send them more signatures as well!
This fight will be over when the United States of America abolishes CBT.
Hi everyone,
Last night I saw a statement of Brady published in Politico on his latest on tax reform. The last sentences is truly encouraging. The article is below. I understand “letting them pay taxes only where they live” to indicate RBT. Since the Ways and Means has announced that it will publish its legislative draft next week, the language is most likely already determined. There have been several proposals for tax reform of Americans abroad from various organisations. Let’s all get behind whatever Congress comes up with and show a united front. This is a one chance in a lifetime to improve the situation of Americans abroad. Please activate your networks in this sense.
Best,
Jackie Bugnion
This was at the end of a POLITICO e-mail, sent 25 October.
He[Brady] said the committee is considering an issue dear to U.S. citizens living abroad — letting them pay taxes only where they live — though no decision has been made.
Some additional e-mail trail, I will not disclose sender:
Just listening to Ari Fleischer on TV about the tax reform bill and he said something that I wasn’t aware of, but some of you might be: He said that once the bill comes out of W&M Committee it goes directly to a floor vote. There are no floor amendments or changes permitted. Thought this is something to look for.